GENTILES
Today’s Reading: Acts 10
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
The north public bath house ruins of ancient Caesarea. Herod, Pilate, and Cornelius may have visited these baths, but not Paul. He spent two years in prison here in Caesarea.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Acts 10:44
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
For a Roman of senior rank, it would’ve been customary to visit the bath house daily (pictured above). This daily blog bath “the washing of water by the Word” (Ephesians 5:26), will become a habit after a few days of disciplined reading.
This chapter should be, for we who are not born Jews, very, very important. This is where we get in on the blessings God promised to Abraham, and the blessings of the fulfillment of those promises in Jesus. Why would God choose this Roman Army Officer, Cornelius, to be the first non-Jew to receive Jesus? He was “devout,” a man of excellence in his behaviour. He and his household “feared God.” He “gave alms generously to the people,” and “he prayed to God always.” We don’t earn salvation by good works. Grace, and grace alone through faith, secures our eternal destiny. But our character and good works, as in this story, do serve to get special attention from God. Read more about non-Jews getting in on God’s provision of salvation in Ephesians chapter 2. Please check it out (click here).
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I’m so very thankful that as a non-Jew, I’m welcomed into Your family. May I never take Your care for granted. May my character be refined each day, and may this daily blog be a part of the process. You checked out Cornelius’ “memorial” and good things happened. I pray You’ll check out my offerings too. May the smile of Your approval be on my life. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Here is a question I want to ask Cornelius some day…”Were you the centurion whose servant Jesus healed as recorded in Luke 7:1-10? If that wasn’t you, Cornelius, please introduce me to this officer of whom Jesus said, ‘I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.'” One of the highlights of my life was to suggest to the senior officer corps of Ukraine that they make Cornelius their Patron Saint. Most officers had Orthodox or Roman Catholic backgrounds, although to be an officer in a communist government they had to profess atheism. I mentioned this in my blog on November 3rd (click here for the story in my “100 Personal Words”). I wonder also about the baptism of Cornelius, his family, and friends. Could it have happened in the bath house pictured here? I wonder, as well, if Peter was shocked when God interrupted his preaching to pour out the Gift of the Holy Spirit on these Gentiles. I think so. Because, “They of the circumcision (Jews) were astonished, as many as came with Peter.” I was astonished to witness an interruption by God once in my years of preaching. Please God, do it again and again!
Yours to help each of us to receive all God desires that we should have for the purpose of serving Him effectively,
David
Charles Haddon Spurgeon: Morning Devotional
“My soul begin this wintry month with thy God. The cold snows and the piercing winds all remind thee that He keeps His covenant with day and night, and tend to assure thee that He will also keep that glorious covenant which He has made with thee in the person of Christ Jesus. He who is true to His Word in the revolutions of the seasons of this poor sin-polluted world, will not prove unfaithful in His dealings with His own well-beloved Son.
“Winter in the soul is by no means a comfortable season, and if it be upon thee just now it will be very painful to thee: but there is this comfort, namely, that the Lord makes it. He sends the sharp blasts of adversity to nip the buds of expectation: He scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes over the once verdant meadows of our joy: He casteth forth His ice like morsels freezing the streams of our delight. He does it all, He is the great Winter King, and rules in the realms of frost, and therefore thou canst not murmur. Losses, crosses, heaviness, sickness, poverty, and a thousand other ills, are of the Lord’s sending, and come to us with wise design. Frosts kill noxious insects, and put a bound to raging diseases; they break up the clods, and sweeten the soul. O that such good results would always follow our winters of affliction!
“How we prize the fire just now! how pleasant is its cheerful glow! Let us in the same manner prize our Lord, who is the constant source of warmth and comfort in every time of trouble. Let us draw nigh to Him, and in Him find joy and peace in believing. Let us wrap ourselves in the warm garments of His promises, and go forth to labours which befit the season, for it were ill to be as the sluggard who will not plough by reason of the cold; for he shall beg in summer and have nothing.”
You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter. Psalm 74:17 ESV
Great Is Thy Faithfulness, Wes Hampton, orchestra & choir (so beautiful!!!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNZS5H9aNlY
Beautiful indeed!
Amen, dear sister-in-Christ. Amen!
Thank you Beverlee for sharing this devotional. So profound ! Spoke volumes to me.
I’m looking forward to seeing you on Huntley St., Deanna.
Such Grace of our loving God who has bestowed on us, gentiles the same blessings as on those from “Abraham’s seed”. Through Jesus we have been adopted and made to share in the heritance of the saints. Praise His Holy Name forever!
Oh that we would be just as effective in our ministry as the apostles of the early church. We read of healings, deliverance, baptism of the Holy Spirit and even the dead being raised to life.
God, keep us fervent in our prayers and devotion to you. Amen!
Wishing everyone a most blessed day!
Amen Luisa!
Thanks Beverlee for sharing these words of truth; beautiful!
Thank you, Beverlee for posting that most beautiful hymn. It is one of my favourites. I find myself singing it sometimes throughout my day.
Great are you my Lord.
Blessings to all
Christmas music is coming, saints. Be blessed, today, and remember how very much Jesus loves you! May you be a miracle in the making!
Coming on the blog posts, I mean. 🙂
Thank you Beverley Kay for the message today. It is very meaningful for me today. God bless you.
Thank you to Ron and Ann and the Crossroads family for continuing to support David’s blog for us. May the Lord bless you, protect you and keep you strong and healthy throughout our Christmas season with all the activities and services.
Christmas music has been here already. It seems to come with the American Thanksgiving (& along with Black Friday). I have been playing it in my car (drive a lot). Playing it also to counteract all the bad news! It is so uplifting. “Great is Thy Faithfulness” indeed.
So happy to hear about Kelly. Will be praying for the surgery to be successful.
Thanks Luisa.
Taking my time to read the scripture and pray for the Holy Spirit power today as shown there. Good selection from Spurgeon Beverlee about winter. The four seasons are more healthy than all summer they say. Need to appreciate winter more. The song you chose is my theme song and it talks about the seasons. Is quiet here today.
Amen Luisa!
Amen, Ger!
Beverlee thank you for sharing that devotion about winter and for all comments today. I want to share with you that my husband Edward has been diagnosed with MDS Mila leukemia. We will see a hematologist probably in the New Year. In the meantime he is starting radiation for skin cancer on his ear on Dec 13. He will have 30 sessions. Prays appreciated. I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday Luisa. Love to all Eleanor. M.
Lord I pray for Your intervention in Eleanor husband’s life.. For the Your Highest and best, that nothing be done that should not be done, only that which is best for his healing. Thank you Jesus for Your intervention, and I ask that you keep him in the Palm of Your Hand, Amen!!
Amen.
Dear Eleanor
praying for healing for your husband; read a Psalm a day; I find it fills up my mind for a few hours as I think about life! SENDING BIG BIG BIG HUGS TO YOU DEAR ELEANOR! ALSO SENDING EXTRA BIG HUGS FOR YOUR HUSBAND. In Jesus Name We Pray amen
Oh Lord God, Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Rapha, God of healing, God of protection. We call on You–the Name above all Names–the great physician, the great I Am, the King of Kings, the Prince of Peace, the Almighty everlasting. Bring strength and healing and wisdom for the doctors treating Eleanor’s husband, Edward. Ruach, Holy Spirit, breath of life, breathe through Edward. Lamb of God, pour Your precious blood of Jesus upon Edward in anointing him with healing. And grant peace comfort and strength to Eleanor and their family. We pray for this in Jesus’ Name. Amen, amen, and amen.
Amen Beverlee Kay
Praise God for the Holy Spirit in my life. I was baptized in the Holy Spirit in 1972 shortly after I asked Jesus in my heart.
Without the Holy Spirit filling me, I don’t think I would have stood strong in my faith.
By the Grace of God through faith, I have been saved, not by any works I have done. Praise His Holy Name!!!
Thank you Ron and Ann for faithfully posting this blog!
The scripture, the prayer, the photo, the words of wisdom by David, especially his testimony in his “Personal Words” such an inspiration for the day. Thank you!!!
Be blessed all you saints on this Day the Lord has made!
Mary Duff is one of my favourite singers. Amazing Grace.
https://youtu.be/MYintNpMsyo
Lord I had very rough week! the devil is sure stirring things up, I rebuke the devil,he is nothing; I plead the Blood of the Lamb over me, home,car,neighbours;this prayer site;my family,community. Lord help me to forgive;
A BIG TY to all who have prayed for me in regards to having the right people in the back room;The Lord has the right person(s) lined up,I pray they come forward very soon;
Thankful that Kelly will have stem cell transplant on the l3th of Dec, Lord we ask You to be with Kelly & her family;with all the hospital staff needed for this wonderful transplant; we TY Lord, this is a miracle happening, TY Lord in Jesus Name we Pray amen
Prayers for safety when traveling for Shawn;prayers of healing for Ed C, a lifeguard;also prayers of healing for IKe, has first part of Plumbing course,is in pain from top to bottom; ask the Holy Spirit to enter his heart and quit smoking; The Lord took smokes/booze from me in a”flash” He gave me swimming from a broken leg the very next week, What He did for me He can do for all others who believe! Lord please remove smoking/drinking/drugs from all TY Lord IJNWPA
Prayers for you, Sah. May the Lord of our Lord breathe upon you and grant you peace abundance and prosperity. In Jesus’ precious Name. Amen, amen, and amen.
Amen. agreeing with Beverlee Kay’s pray for you Sah. Thanks for your prayer for Kelly.
William thank for your lovely prayer for Kelly.
And thanks to everyone else who have prayed for her. God Bless you all.
Agreeing in prayer for Eleanor’s husband that you will overshadow him during these treatment sessions on his ear and give him strength and comfort that You are with him in Jesus name. Amen and Amen.
TY to all who have prayed for me and for each other! It is so uplifting; please continue to pray for Ike, that the Holy Spirit would enter his heart and he would quit smoking, he is only 21, Lord help him quit! NOW! TY Lord!
Went swimming tonight; TY LORD met Samuel & Marie + 2 kids,they are Christians, will meet up with them later
Praying the Lord sends me the right person for the back room, have had very nice people over the years,responsible,respectful people,all appreciated the nice clean room, quiet environment,
Lord I need something that I enjoy to keep me busy, Lord please help me! TY
Blessings to all,